Lee OK….But Out of WBC?

According to reports on Cubs.com and XM Radio, Derrek Lee’s injury is similar to the one that caused him to miss three games last season. XM Radio is also reporting that Barry Bonds will take Lee’s place on the roster if Team USA advances to the next round. Cubs.com is reporting Lee with stay with Team USA if they advance to the next round.

Check back for updates and the results on Mark Prior will be available tomorrow.

Updated – 7:12pm C.S.T. with Info on Derrek Lee and the Todd Walker to Baltimore Trade

Updates:

There have been several reports to come out of Chicago in the last few hours about the condition of Derrek Lee. Here is the update on Derrek Lee and Mark Prior from Cubs.com. A report from the Associated Press on ESPN.com had these quotes from Cubs’ trainer Mark O’Neal:

“He has some wear and tear in his left shoulder. He obviously irritated it again on that dive the other night against Japan,” O’Neal said. There is no immediate need for Lee to have surgery, and he’ll be ready to play for the Cubs once the United States is finished playing in the WBC, O’Neal said.”

The Chicago Tribune is running the same report and XM Radio is giving conflicting reports. I have been an XM subscriber since day one and I have been disappointed in their baseball coverage over the past few months. I have sung their praises and received several emails from readers of this site telling me they bought XM because of me. XM is pushing the WBC like telemarketers and they have been reporting all day that if Derrek Lee cannot play Barry Bonds is ready to step in and take his place. XM is loosing sight of the big picture and concentrating on selling what they have paid a lot of money for.

The most consistent reports that I have found about Derrek Lee is that he is fine and will be ready when the Cubs open the 2006 season in Cincinnati. Lee is still planning on participating in the WBC if he responds to treatment and if Team USA makes it to the next round. This issue will be clarified tonight.

“However, the only way Lee will play for the U.S. team again is if it advances to the semifinals. Because of the complicated tiebreaker system, Team USA has to hope that Korea beats Japan on Wednesday or that if the Japanese win, they score at least seven runs or allow at least eight runs. The U.S. team still has to beat Mexico to advance, but if Japan wins a low-scoring game, the U.S. could be eliminated.”

The Todd Walker Trade

The Baltimore Sun reported earlier on Wednesday that the Todd Walker for Luis Matos deal is still alive and the only holdup is who will pay Walker’s salary for the 2006 season. Here is the paragraph on the trade:

“Talks between the Orioles and Chicago Cubs about the long-discussed Luis Matos-for-Todd Walker swap have intensified the past couple of days, according to industry sources. The holdup appears to be the Orioles’ unwillingness to pick up the entire $2.5 million contract for the Cubs second baseman, who makes about $900,000 more than Matos. Walker, 32, who is competing for Chicago’s starting second base job, hit .305 last season with 12 homers and 40 RBIs. Orioles officials view the left-handed hitter mostly as a designated hitter who could give Perlozzo another good bat off the bench. Walker also could provide some infield insurance if Roberts isn’t ready for Opening Day. Matos, currently playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, is behind Corey Patterson in the duel to win the club’s starting center-field job.”